Community joins together for '12,402 Steps to Cure Sarcoma Walk'
By Angela Greiner Community Reporter

PHOTO/ANGELA GREINER (front, l to r) Mother of a local sarcoma survivor Karyn Warilla joins Ples and Barbara Hunter, parents of Jennifer Hunter Yates, to review this year's walk brochure while (back, l to r) recent sarcoma survivor Andrew Greiner and Jennifer's husband, Bob Yates, look on.

Hudson - On Saturday May 3 at 10 a.m. for the fourth straight year, the Hudson High School football field (the Morgan Bowl) will host the "12,402 Steps to Cure Sarcoma Walk," one of the largest fund-raising events for Massachusetts General Hospital's Sarcoma Cancer Center. The six-mile walk was started four years ago by the friends and family of Jennifer Hunter Yates, who succumbed after a 17-month battle with sarcoma. The funds go to the cancer center through the Jennifer Hunter Yates Sarcoma Foundation.

Sarcoma is a rare cancer that receives little funding and attention, but sarcomas actually make up 20 percent of all children cancers, with an average of 50,000 patients a year battling it.

This year alone, there will be 10,000 new cases diagnosed; more than a third will lose their lives to the disease.

Andrew Greiner was diagnosed one year ago after learning about sarcoma through news stories publicizing the walk.

"I am alive today because of this foundation," he said.

Greiner, who just finished treatment and is healing from a recent bone replacement surgery, plans to walk with the support of crutches and the Yates family.

For more information about the walk or to make a donation, visit the website at www. jenniferhunteryatessarcomafoundation. org.